Tha Thumperizer
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| Builder: | Radio F Software |
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| Weight class: | Heavyweight |
| Weapon: | 2x vertical tri-tip extenders with spikes (nicknamed "Thumperizers"). |
| Weapon power: | HP Z-Tek |
Tha Thumperizer (also known as simply Thumperizer) is a Heavyweight robot created by Radio F Software in 2003. While the robot itself is rather unworthy of any merits, technical or appearance-wise, its namesake started the AceUplink catchphrase "THUMPERIZED". When something was "THUMPERIZED" it was destroyed (in regards to posts, threads, etc); this lexicon was perpetuated during RFS' brief tenure on AceUplink's staff.
Thumperizer was featured in the V1.5 edition of the RFS AI Pack and was also included in SovereignII's AI upgrade. Years later, an antweight version of the robot was included in Stock's Mini AI Pack and was also the champion in an all-AI tournament held on YouTube by user "battlebotsboy". Conversely, Thumperizer made an appearance in Badnik96's Uber Stock HW tournament but lost every single battle it was in despite advancing forward one round with a bye.
In 2010, Thumperizer was nominated for a place in the Robot Arena 2 Hall of Fame but did not receive an induction.
Post-2014 Versions
The infobox below shows the latest version of Thumperizer. To view others, please see: Tha Thumperizer (archive)
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| Builder: | Radio F Software |
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| Weight class: | Heavyweight |
| Weapon: | Dual sets of triple Behemoth hammers |
| Armor: | Steel |
| Tournament Record: | 1-0 |
| Awards: | TBA |
Coinciding with RFS' return to the GameTechMods forum, a new edition of the robot named Thumperizer XIV (pronounced "Thumperizer Fourteen") debuted in the 9th DSL BattleBots tournament. Featuring a familiar set of tri-weapon spinners the robot held true to its roots while incorporating new features such as wheel guards and rear armor and weaponry. It is not the 14th installment in the robot's lineage, the numerical portion of the robot's name is in reference to Thumperizer's age; the back of the robot features the text "2001 - 2014" in gold lettering.
In its debut tournament Thumperizer XIV received a bye to the Round of 32 and a victory over Witch (playzooki) when the robot was disqualified for Havok glitching. In the Round of 16 it lost by a KO to BuffalOWNED Evolution.
Videos
- vs. Witch (BattleBots 9 Round of 32, Win DQ)
- vs. BuffalOWNED Evolution (BattleBots 9 Round of 16, Loss KO)
Real Life
The original Thumperizer was constructed in 2001 by Twilight Foundry Robotics using Lego Mindstorms parts and entered in a local school-sanctioned "robolympics" to compete against other teams. Tha Thumperizer was programmed to perform wheelies and to use its dual spinning masses to aid in gyroscopic turns and flips. The Lego RCX brick was programmed to play a rough hip-hop beat which is where the robot lent its name. Tha Thumperizer was entered as a "show bot" into the Open Class category and took first place.
The robot was rebuilt for a second event that same year although the robot's new design was radically different from its predecessor. The remake, titled "Things That Go Thump In The Night", featured a large spinning arrangement of claws instead of two separate spinners. Tha Thumperizer "II" was built as a test bot for the "combat" category, a one-time tryout where it was pitted against Treadator, a clamping robot with tank tracks built by a former member of the Twilight Foundry Robotics team. The former show bot was disassembled in a matter of seconds and did not win the division.
In 2006 plans for a Beetleweight version of Tha Thumperizer commenced using parts salvaged from a previous Twilight Foundry creation. This planned Beetleweight would have its front end propped up off the ground by a metal rod and protruding from its front would be two grinding wheels in lieu of the original weighted spinning masses the 2001 Lego version used. The backside of the robot would rest on the ground on two wheels and feature a bulldozer scoop as a back-up weapon. Thumperizer's memorable purple paint job and hip-hop style artwork from its Robot Arena 2 counterpart were intended to be carried over, however the robot was never finished because the RFL-sanctioned events frequented by the team ended.